talking trade: GCA Conference Inspiration and ideas
The Garden Centre Association’s annual conference and awards showcased the very best that the garden retail industry has to offer, with delegates treated to a round-up by the association’s inspectors, as well as key issues addressed and insights offered by a host of speakers
T
he great and good of the garden industry, from leading retailers to major brands and suppliers, gathered
at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Stratford- upon-Avon on Monday, January 22 and Tuesday, January 23 for the annual GCA Conference and black-tie awards dinner. More than 300 delegates attended the event, which was preceded by a Greenfingers fundraising day and dinner on the Sunday. The industry charity event, including the evening dinner, helped to raise £25,150 for Greenfingers. Woodlodge also donated £5,000 from the sale of its stackable pots to the charity, which creates gardens for children’s hospices. As well as a line-up of inspiring and motivational speakers over the two days, the conference also saw a number of awards presented to its members. Within this was the GCA Rising Stars final, sponsored by Westland. The finalists in this year’s programme were Emma Blackwater from Bents, Samantha Davis from Haskins, Sarah Postlethwaite from Fron Goch, Andreea Robertson from Garden Wise and Jayne Scotts of Klondyke Daleside. Having completed the programme, which
included training workshops and contributing to a show garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the finalists were then required to present to the hundreds of delegates in attendance, detailing their experience in the programme, the projects they undertook at their respective centres and the results they achieved. It was a tough competition but Klondyke’s Jayne Scott won the vote, having carried out a full re-vamp of the landscape tunnel at the Daleside centre, including the introduction of power routes to improve customer flow and creating an inspirational garden display. Jayne, who has worked her way up to assistant manager, also set out to increase sales across three key areas within the store: growing media, autumn lawn care and birdcare. She said of her experience in the
programme: “It has inspired me beyond words. I feel as though it has not only improved my merchandising skills but it has also improved my confidence massively.” Of the garden industry as a whole she added:
“I think it is going to continue to grow and flourish. It is such a wonderful industry to be part of and from attending the GCA conference this year I was inspired by how supportive the
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industry is of each other which is a brilliant thing to see. Having programmes such as Rising Stars gives individuals the opportunity to learn new skills which don’t only benefit themselves but also their fellow colleagues, allowing the business as a whole to constantly learn new skills and go in new directions.” GCA members were also recognised in a number of other categories, including the Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Garden Centre, which was won by Webbs of West Hagley and for excellence in catering, retailing of garden products and outdoor living, as well as a Christmas competition.
The GCA inspectors gave some insight into the garden centres they had visited, which included the winners, and pulled out some key observations that other businesses could benefit from.
Gordon Emslie offered some of his thoughts: “All Garden Centres strive to strike the balance between a creative display and a shoppable area. In Notcutts, the team had put together a display garden complete with all the ingredients to recreate it.
“At Fron Goch, every batch of plants had a POS card in front of it. This is like a silent salesman that helps customers buy with confidence. Other garden centres had little blackboards or noticeboards that add a little bit of character around a shop.
“Meanwhile, there should be a strong connection between what you’re doing in your food hall and your café and the rest of the centre. Bents in Warrington has tasting and sampling points around the centre with lots of things offered. When someone sampled cheese, the sales assistant came straight in and was very knowledgeable. These tasting locations on site are driving the extra sales through as a result. Tong Garden Centre did a similar thing with the quiche it sells. “Looking at different departments, indoor lifestyle is becoming less cluttered. Now you need one or two ambient areas to focus on and get right. Barton Grange made great use of merchandising and coloured lighting in indoor lifestyle.
“And, why not feature houseplants in the restaurant area? Not many of you have plants in your garden centre restaurants. “One thing you have to remember is that your greatest asset is your staff. When visiting
Klondyke at Howton Hall, I met a woman in the furniture department and I asked her how she clinched the sale, what she said to make the difference. She told me that when she sees customers looking at the price of the furniture lines, she says: ‘You do realise you can leave this outside all year?’ They often have no idea and it makes a difference.
“So, ask yourself, how many products are there in your shop or department that you know the benefits of but your customers don’t?
Other Awards presented at the conference, included:
The top 10 Garden Centres of Excellence (in alphabetical order): Aylett Nurseries Ltd
Barton Grange Garden Centre Bents Garden & Home
Fairways Garden Centre – Ashbourne Garden Wise, Dumfries
Mains of Drum Garden Centre Ltd Perrywood Garden Centre and Nurseries Simpsons Garden Centre Stratford Garden Centre Webbs, Wychbold
The Worrall Cup - the award for Best Marketing Campaign or Initiative: Perrywood Garden Centre
Associate of the Year: Smart Garden Products
Garden Centre of the Year: Fairways Garden Centre – Ashbourne
Destination Garden Centre of the Year: Bents Garden & Home
GCU March 2018
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